On the hunt for summer weather in Penticton

PENTICTON – With temperatures hitting 24 Celsius in Penticton Tuesday, April 28, city residents were out in full force lounging in parks, walking the Okanagan lakefront in comfortable summer attire, or in the case of Syd Birch of the Okanagan Treasure Hunters Club, exploring Gyro Park for lost treasures.

Birch says he was 'just killing time' Tuesday afternoon, sweeping the grass in front of the bandshell with a metal detector in hopes of finding something interesting.

Birch says members of the club often come across coins or lost jewellery when sweeping the city’s parks and beaches. When jewellery is found, an attempt is generally made to find the owner. About 10-15 pieces of jewellery are recovered and returned to its rightful owner every year by club members.

Okanagan Treasure Hunters meet monthly at the library auditorium on the third Tuesday of the month, starting at 7 p.m. Coming from as far as Kelowna and Osoyoos, the 25 member group of metal detector hobbyists holds one major function each year to fund raise for the Okanagan Similkameen Medical Foundation.

Birch, who is the club president, says the treasure hunters have raised $24,000 over the past six years for the foundation.

This year’s function will take place on Sudbury Beach on the weekend following Labour Day. Birch says he expects to see roughly 100 treasure hunters congregate in Penticton from all over the Pacific Northwest to take part in a treasure hunt at the beach and a silent auction.

Birch said the group is always looking for new members, and youth are welcome to join as well.

Check out the group’s website for more information.

To contact the reporter for this story, email Steve Arstad at sarstad@infonews.ca or call 250-488-3065. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.